DmC: Devil May Cry (Video Game Review)

Capcom introduced the world to the Devil May Cry series way back in 2001 and completely revolutionized the hack and slash action genre. Numerous game series of today owe a lot to the series for introducing many gameplay mechanics that are still the backbone of numerous titles, but recently, the Devil May Cry series has seemed to run out of juice, and many longtime fans have turned to other action titles to get their fill of combos and upgrades. That's why it was no surprise to anyone when publisher Capcom announced a reboot for the franchise with developer Ninja Theory at the helm that would create a whole new storyline for the Devil May Cry series that would take fans on a trip to witness the origins story of Dante and his family. While there were plenty of fans who gave the teams behind the game grief for the DmC: Devil May Cry makeover, it's easy to see the new release is exactly what the series needed to revitalize a tired formula.

The story of DmC: Devil May Cry takes players on a journey with a younger, more arrogant Dante than what we've seen so far in the series. The action takes place in a parallel universe in Limbo City. Dante has always had a tough life as the son of a legendary demon warrior whose mother happened to be an angel. Of course, this also means Dante has incredible powers in combat from both of his parents that grant him the powers of good and evil. Dante will need to utilize all of these powers when he joins up with a group known as The Order, which happens to be operated by Dante's brother, Vergil. With the help of The Order, Dante is looking for some classic, sweet family revenge on an all powerful demon named Mundus all while mastering his fighting techniques and learning more about his own past. Devil May Cry clearly features the best storyline of any game in the series so far, and despite previous entries being little more than action sequences followed by snappy one liners, the new Devil May Cry is also the most hilariously entertaining title for the series as well thanks to a slightly more subtle approach.

Devil May Cry is a brilliant action title thanks in large part to what is likely the best battle system ever seen in the beat 'em up genre. All of the basics are here; Dante can run around, roll and evade, double jump and even glide across the sky to platform his way around stages, and combat is a mixture of light attacks, heavy attacks and long distance firearms and other items useful for stringing together chain attacks. Devil May Cry takes things a step further by adding plenty of new weapons and moves from Dante's two heritages that can be easily and fluidly switched between in combat and used primarily to pull enemies in close for attacks or zip Dante in close for quick strikes on an unsuspecting enemy. Combat in Devil May Cry is fast, exhilarating and makes you feel like a total badass. Of course, the Devil Trigger and familiar inventories make their return here for a truly authentic Devil May Cry experience

Dante isn't the only part of Devil May Cry that has received a big makeover. Seeing our protagonist we've grown accustomed to seeing in the game over the years can be a bit shocking at first, but you soon come to appreciate the new style, and activating Devil Trigger makes Dante look fondly familiar to the hero of previous entries. What is more shocking this time around is the attention to detail in the game's environments and the awesome level design that feels similar to areas ripped straight from the real Limbo and Hell. One mission will have Dante springing from one floating platform to another, while the next mission has Dante battling it out against a demon news reporter and his minions in a truly memorable virtual television setting. The stages are varied and never repetitive, and completing each one will typically land Dante a new ability, weapon or upgrade. The game also features excellent voice acting and a worthy soundtrack that compliments the action nicely. If you're a fan of the action genre, you'll definitely want to sink your teeth into Devil May Cry, and the game is good enough to draw in gamers who might rarely spend their days stringing together 1,000 hit combos in leisure. Devil May Cry is the game that Capcom needed and fans deserved, and with more additional content on the way, playing with the Devil just keeps getting better.

Devil May Cry is now available for preorder from most major retailers for the MSRP of $59.99 and is scheduled to release for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on January 15, 2013 and PC on January 25, 2013. Devil May Cry is rated M by the ESRB for Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Nudity, Sexual Content & Strong Language. For more information on the game, check out the official Devil May Cry website.